London, Jan 1 United Kingdom (UK) Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Wednesday pledged to rebuild Britain as his government seeks to turn the tide after a challenging first six months in power.
In a prerecorded New Year message, Starmer said 2025 would be a year of rebuilding, drawing parallels to the efforts of Labour after the Second World War.
One of the major challenges facing the UK government is shoring up the stagnant economic growth. Official data released last week showed the UK's gross domestic product (GDP) registered no growth in the third quarter of 2024, revised down from an earlier estimate of 0.1 per cent increase.
"The economy was weaker in the second and third quarters of this year than our initial estimates suggested, with bars and restaurants, legal firms and advertising, in particular, performing less well," said Liz McKeown, Director of economic statistics at the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
The outlook for the last quarter of the year is similarly bleak. The Bank of England recently forecast zero GDP growth for the fourth quarter, down from the 0.3 per cent growth it predicted in November 2024.
Starmer acknowledged the difficulties many people face, saying, "I know there is still so much more to do, and that for many people, it's hard to think about the future when you spend all of your time fighting to get through the week."
"So I want to be clear: until you can look forward and believe in the promise and the prosperity of Britain again, this government will fight for you," he said. Starmer described this "fight for change" as something that will "define this year, next year, and indeed -- every waking hour of this government."
As the new year begins, Starmer's government faces significant challenges, including pressures on the National Health Service (NHS) during winter, overcrowded prisons and an unabated number of illegal Channel crossings in small boats.
Adding to these difficulties, local elections in May will serve as a critical test for Labour. Tha party has been struggling with declining approval ratings, with surveys suggesting a loss of 200 seats if another general election were held now. However, the right-wing Reform UK party is expected to make significant gains.
Nevertheless, Starmer's supporters remain optimistic, believing public opinion could shift as the effect of key government policies begin to take hold in the coming years, Xinhua news agency reported.
In December 2024, Starmer unveiled "a plan for change" aimed at regaining public trust amid the declining approval ratings. The plan outlined six key "milestones," including building 1.5 million homes, revitalizing the NHS, and delivering clean energy by 2030.
The prime minister also reiterated his commitment to raising living standards "in every region of the country," with the goal of achieving the "highest sustained growth in the G7, so working people have more money in their pocket."
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